ollie_4-fall14: Article: Attributes from Effective Formative Assessment (CCSSO) - 1 views
-
Learning progressions describe how concepts and skills build in a domain, and show the trajectory of learning along which students are expected to progress. From a learning progression teachers have the big picture of what students need to learn, as well as sufficient detail for planning instruction to meet short-term goals. They are able to connect formative assessment opportunities to the short-term goals to keep track of how well their students’ learning is moving forward.
-
scampie1 on 24 Sep 14This is so critical and demands deep understanding of the content domain and skill domain of a subject. Please can we have subject experts teach from grade 1?
-
joycevermeer on 26 Sep 14This is all about scaffolding children's (or adult's) learning. We need children to be in the zone of proximal development to get optimal learning.
-
Bev Berns on 27 Sep 14Sometimes assessment of learning is an afterthought to planning and guiding instruction.
-
-
Descriptive feedback should be about the particular qualities of student learning with discussion or suggestions about what the student can do to improve. It should avoid comparisons with other pupils. Specific, timely feedback should be based on the learning goal and criteria for success. It should help the student answer three basic questions: Where am I going? Where am I now? How can I close the gap?
-
Since my area is math, here is an excellent brief on these ideas with examples in math: http://www.nctm.org/news/content.aspx?id=11474
-
I love these questions; they make perfect sense. I don't know that I ever formalized this reflective process with students but no doubt I should have. When time was short (which it frequently was) I cut the reflection. Even when I cut it, I knew this wasn't a good practice.
-
-
However, for students to be actively and successfully involved in their own learning, they must feel that they are bona fide partners in the learning process. This feeling is dependent on a classroom culture characterized by a sense of trust between and among students and their teachers; by norms of respect, transparency, and appreciation of differences; and by a non-threatening environment. Creating such a culture requires teachers to model these behaviors during interactions with students, to actively teach the classroom norms, and to build the students’ skills in constructive self- and peer-assessment. In this type of classroom culture, students will more likely feel they are collaborators with their teacher and peers in the learning process.
- ...31 more annotations...
-
In peer-assessment, students analyze each others’ work using guidelines or rubrics and provide descriptive feedback that supports continued improvement.
-
Paige Keeley offers many strategies for formative assessment in her books. I wish she wrote one for use online, but some of her ideas could be adapted. Partner Speaks could change to Partner writes and have feedback to whole group be based on what partner's work or strategy was.
-
These are some of my favorite techniques for student assessment and engagement. The critique is a major part of art education and the more I do it, the more I enjoy it...I think the students tend to feel the same way.
-
This is where rubric perfection is key. The better, more fine-tuned a rubric, the more sensitive it can be to student assessment.
-
-
Formative assessment is a process used by teachers and students during instruction that provides feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning to improve students’ achievement of intended instructional outcomes.
-
It's very important for everyone to get on th esame page with this definition and truly understand the intended use of formative assessments- to adjust teaching!
-
I agree. I also think teachers need to be reminded at times that formative assessments provide "feedback to adjust ongoing teaching and learning." I think sometimes teachers administer what they would call formative assessments, but don't use the information to drive instruction.
-
And when educators do not use the information to drive instruction, it is not formative assessments.
-
I think it is also important to remember that it isn't just for teachers...the learner needs to be involved in the process and more than just as a resource for gathering data. The learner and teacher go hand in hand as a part of this process.
-
There are, unfortunately, too many who see formative assessment as a data collection tool only, as opposed to an instructional resource. This, of course, needs to be changed.
-
-
is to provide evidence that is used by teachers and students to inform instruction and learning during the teaching/learning process
-
One key feature of this definition is its requirement that formative assessment be regarded as a process rather than a particular kind of assessment.
-
I think the word process is key here. There should be several formative assessments along the way in each unit to inform teachers and enable incremental changes along the way.
-
I think that is the key too. "A process of strategies that the teacher can implement during instruction" to "elicit evidence of student learning to inform and adjust instruction." So important to adjust instruction for best learning outcome for student.
-
A second important part of the definition is its unequivocal requirement that the formative assessment process involve both teachers and students.
-
I see so many who forget to involve the student in the process and it results in low student engagement because they feel it's "not about them" and there is nothing they can do to change the outcomes.
-
I've seen this as well while working within different classrooms. Students need to be included in the process and be given more responsibility for their learning.
-
-
Descriptive Feedback: Students should be provided with evidence-based feedback that is linked to the intended instructional outcomes and criteria for success.
-
5. Collaboration: A classroom culture in which teachers and students are partners in learning should be established.
-
I truly wish everyone could see that everyhting is built upon this foundation:) I think this should be #1 of the 5!
-
I agree. The more we work together the better the outcomes and desire for students to be actively involved with their own learning.
-
I think that Number 5 sums it all up. Collaboration between students and teacher makes it all happen if everything else is in place: instructional outcomes and criteria for success.
-
-
These range from informal observations and conversations to purposefully planned instructionally embedded techniques designed to elicit evidence of student learning to inform and adjust instruction.
-
In teaching an online course are formative assessments much more likely to be of the purposefully planned embedded technique variety? It seems that the format lends itself to much less opportunity for informal observations.
-
True! And, the survey, journal and forum activites could support formative assessment in the online space through student reflection of learning.
-
-
share learning goals with students and provide opportunities for students to monitor their ongoing progress.
-
One would think, online learning through LMSs could be set up in a way that would help enable students be able to effectively monitor their progress in improving their learning.
-
Wow, I never really sat down to think about it, but I agree that LMSs should have a component that allows students to monitor their progress more than just through the grade-book. It would be neat to see a type of "student data binder" as a component to online learning. It is critical for students to know their goals and take ownership in their learning.
-
So many times the teacher forgets to share the learning goal with students and then the student doesn't know what he/she should be working towards. It's important for the teacher to make clear what the goal is and for the student to have a plan to be sucessful.
-
-
Using the evidence elicited from such tasks connected to the goals of the progression, a teacher could identify the “just right gap” – a growth point in learning that involves a step that is neither too large nor too small – and make adjustments to instruction accordingly.
-
This sounds easier said than done. As we know it is important to keep in mind that all of our learners learn in different ways and what might be the "just right gap" for one students may be a crack in the sidewalk for one and the grand canyon for another. I'm sure finding this balance will always be a work in progress but having these progressions built in and being able to monitor along the way could be very beneficial in supporting all students to reach the desired learning objective.
-
This attribute reminds me of a well-written and well implemented IEP. When educators were working with legislators in 70's on 94-142, the concepts of formative and summative assessments were being applied.
-
I agree with you, Lynn. This idea seems very overwhelming when applying it to multiple classrooms of 25 students. The idea of learning progressions is a good idea, I think that most teachers do this without thinking about it in these terms.
-
With all of the new legislation coming at us with Chapter 62, this is going to impact us greatly as educators. This achievement gap has got to be figured out- how do we quickly, and effectively move students through that gap towards mastery?
-
-
teachers must provide the criteria by which learning will be assessed so that students will know whether they are successfully progressing toward the goal. This information should be communicated using language readily understood by students, and may be accompanied by realistic examples of those that meet and do not meet the criteria.
-
This reinforces our group work from week two and the importance of creating an assessment rubric whereby students know from the beginning what is expected. We need to provide students with the criteria being assessed and what is consider exemplary, proficient or may need more work.
-
I agree, Kathleen. Students need to know what is expected/criteria with clear examples.
-
A teacher needs to have modeled good feedback with students and talked about what acceptable and unacceptable comments look like in order to have created a safe learning environment.
-
I've used peer assessment in the past and found that this modeling is a very important step prior to starting the peer assessment process. It is always a good idea to go back over the expectations each time the students are involved in peer assessment as the year or term progresses.
-
I agree that teacher modeling is important when having students peer assess. Students need guidelines and need to be able to give feedback.
-
-
necessary instructional adjustments can be made
-
integrated
-
I really like the word integrated. Formative assessments should be woven into instruction and learning and not necessarily viewed as something separate.
-
I agree with you Nicole. If we are truly assessing how the student is performing and the goal is to close the achievement gap the assessment process needs to be integrated throughout an instructional unit.
-
I agree with this statement. It should just be a part of what we do, but it is important not to forget why we are doing it.
-
-
teachers must first identify and then communicate the instructional goal
-
Students certainly need to be knowledgeable about their goals so they know what to focus on and work toward. I also think it is important for them to know why their goal important when possible.
-
In sharing goals for learning with students, it should be more than a list of standards to meet or a rubric to an end product. There should be a progressive look at a student's growth that are not tied to formal grading, but to identifying what a student can and cannot do.
-
Yes, learning goals help the students know what is expected of them. I agree, it should be more than a list of standards. These learning goals should be written in the students language. That is why I really like "I can" statements, even at the secondary level.
-
It is so important for students to know exactly what their expectations are so they aren't guessing at what it is the teacher wants them to learn.
-
With many schools moving towards standards based grading, this is essential when moving students through education and assessment.
-
-
To support both self- and peer-assessment, the teacher must provide structure and support so students learn to be reflective of their own work and that of their peers, allowing them to provide meaningful and constructive feedback.
-
Teaching students to be reflective and provide meaningful and constructive feedback is certainly a skill that needs to be taught. It is important that this structure and support is in place in order for it to be effective. I can defnitely see where modeling and coaching students through this process is necessary.
-
I agree, being reflective needs to be taught. Students need to be reflective of their work and teachers need to be reflective of their work. Not only do they need to reflect, but they must also think of ways that reflection can inform instruction.
-
Feedback won't be as effective if it is not taught and modeled by the teacher.
-
-
receiving frequent feedback
-
“two stars and a wish,”
-
What a great way for students to provide feedback. I've heard this stated a little differently but with the same general idea/outcome. All to often the focus is on the negatives and students become discouraged and lose interest. If we can focus on a couple of positives and then share what may need to be improved the students overall approach and attitude might be better.
-
I really liked this approach as well. We should be looking for more ways to encourage the repetition of positive behavior then always pointing out what is wrong.
-
This is a good approach for peer assessment. It give enough encouragement to balance the items that need work.
-
I like this idea. Using "two stars and a wish" students need to look for positive things as well as one thing that needs improvement. This focuses on the positive.
-
-
The students must be actively involved in the systematic process intended to improve their learning.
-
The way these attributes are implemented depends on the particular instructional context, the individual teacher, and—perhaps most importantly—the individual students.
-
However, student- and peer-assessment should not be used in the formal grading process.
-
I think that this sentence is important and should not be missed. Interesting that the thought is that self-assessment should not be part of the formal grade.
-
I agree that peer and self assessment should not be used in the formal grading process. Peer and self assessment should help guide the student and help him/her think about their thinking, but not be an actual part of their grade. That would put too much pressure on them.
-
-
close the gap between students’ current understanding and the desired goals.
-
Closing the gap between students' current understanding the desired goals is a great way to explicitly state the purpose of formative assessment. It keeps the focus on the students, but also impacts the reflective teacher on how to proceed next to truly differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all learners.
-
-
Learning progressions
-
I think another important piece to the learning progression is to involve the student in the tracking of this process and progress. In the elementary classroom I found it common place for teachers to use good formative assessment, but the results and process were almost hidden from the students. I found that by involving them in the process it had a greater impact on their understanding and sense of responsibility in the learning process.
-
I agree with you. I think involving students in the process of their own learning will give them more of a buy in as well as more motivation.
-
-
Self- and Peer-Assessment:
-
I see this as being a component of online learning that could be implemented and beneficial to the students. I think that building the relationships in the class prior to peer assessment would be key to insuring the success in the online environment.
-
I did not have great luck with peer assessment in elementary school. It was very time consuming and rarely provided the results I had hoped. Each time I refined how I set it up, how I modeled it, etc. with about the same results.
-
-
involving students in decisions about how to move learning forward
-
I think this is vital to the success and achievement of our students. I struggle with what this looks like in the online environment.
-
I think that this is a slippery slope, some students will look to take the road of less resistance, ie no homework, but if the teacher prepares work thoughtfully, then the students may be allowed to choose which homework assignment best suits them and be possibly allowed to change or tweak a topic in order to suit one of their interests which would then increase student buy-in.
-
-
Formative assessment is a process that directly engages both teachers and students
-
Students can use a rubric to provide feedback to a peer
-
when students and their peers are involved there are many more opportunities to share and receive feedback.
-
Students are sometimes more comfortable in failing in front of a peer, in a one on one scenario than they are in meeting with their teacher. Getting to know your students will help the teacher figure out which strategy to use.
-
This is something I hadn't thought a lot about - but students would get a lot more feedback if it was given from peers and not just teachers.
-
-
Specific, timely feedback should be based on the learning goal and criteria for success
-
Both self- and peer-assessment are important for providing students an opportunity to think meta-cognitively about their learning.